GARDAÍ CONTACTED BRITISH broadcaster Channel 4 over a social media post at the weekend which implied that the force was responsible for the death of Yves Sakila.
The post shared on the Channel 4 News account on X contained a clip of an interview with the nephew of Mr Sakila, who died following an alleged shoplifting incident in Dublin earlier this month.
Mr Sakila was declared dead in the Mater hospital on 15 May, not long after he was restrained by several security personnel outside Arnotts department store on Henry Street.
Video footage taken during the incident appears to show five men holding him prone on the ground before his death, though none of these men were dressed in a garda uniform.
Multiple investigations are now underway into the circumstances that led to his death, though an exact cause of death has yet to be established, and no suspects have been identified or detained.
However, the post by Channel 4 News stated that Mr Sakila died “at the hands of police in Dublin”.
It’s understood that gardaí contacted the broadcaster about the post, which was subsequently deleted; the clip featuring an interview with Mr Sakila’s nephew was subsequently re-shared on X with a label reading “correction”.
A garda spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by The Journal.
Channel 4 has also been contacted for comment.